Sapa Overview
Sapa district
(or Sa Pa) is located in Lao Cai province, 350 km from Hanoi, close to the
border with China. The Hoang Lien Son range of mountains dominates the district,
which is at the eastern extremity of the Himalayas. This range includes
Vietnam’s highest peak, Fansipan Mountain
at 3,142m above sea level, and a vast area covered by thick forest, which is
very rich in wildlife. The township of Sapa lies on a hill station at the
attitude of about 1,600m and was built by the French into a famous summer resort
with some hundred colonial villas which was well-known as “ Tonkin’s Alps” . The
complicated terrain of Sapa including steeped high mountains with sharp cuts and
large valleys, many streams of water in combination with sloped terraced paddies
form magnificent scenery.
Famous for its breathtaking landscapes, Sapa is also an ideal inhabitation for a
great diversity of ethnic minority peoples. It is likely that, Sapa was first
inhabited by highland minorities of H’mong and Zao groups who immigrated from
southern provinces of China, later came the Tay, Zay, and a small number of Xa
Pho to form the 5 main ethnic groups which takes about 85% of the district’s
population today. The Vietnamese, in small number, immigrated from lower land to
the region, mainly living in town, working in government offices, schools,
hospital or running their own mini hotels, shops, … while most other ethnic
peoples live in small hamlets and villages scattering on the mountains and
valleys throughout the district. Until middle of 20th Century, the H’mong and
Zao, majority of Sapa’a population, still lived shifting style and practiced
slash and burn agriculture which caused huge damages to the nature. Nowadays,
most of them have changed into sedentary one basing on intensive farming and
work their land on sloping terraces cultivating rice and corn, since the vast
majority of the land is mountainous. However self subsidiary is still the main
feature of their production and lifestyle with almost no contact to the out side
world until 1990 when tourism started in the region. On the other hand, due to
hard weather & climate condition, only one crop can be cultivated in a year and
the productivity depends much on nature thus led to a fact that food shortage is
quite common here.
For nearly two decade, thanks to the all aspect development of the region in an
attempt to turning Sapa into one of the country’s premier tourist destination,
the local ethnic peoples has experienced great changes and enjoy invaluable
benefit. Road to remote villages is continuously built and upgraded, many
schools were built…and the most important one is the revolution in agriculture
and fast development of tourism which helps the majority ethnic peoples in Sapa
improve their live dramatically.
Luckily that in spite of all fast changes taken place in recent years, the
ethnic minority peoples in Sapa still maintain well their colorful and unique
culture.
Sapa Budget Tours
- Sapa Day Tours - Sapa Day Excursions - Day Trips Sapa Vietnam
- Sapa Walk and Bac ha Market
- Sapa Hard Trekking Two
- Sapa Hard Trekking One
- Sapa Medium Trek Two
- Sapa Medium Trek
Sapa Trekking and Adventures
- Fansipan peak conquering VIP tour (3 days - 2 nights)
- Fansipan peak conquering VIP tour (2 days - 1 nights)
- Fansipan peak conquering Deluxe tour (4 days - 3 nights)
- Fansipan peak conquering Deluxe tour (3 days - 2 nights)
- Fansipan peak conquering Deluxe tour (2 days - 1 nights)
- Fansipan peak conquering Standard tour (4 days - 3 nights)
Sapa Cycling Options
- Sapa - Binh Lu - Lai Chau(with biking)
- Sapa - Lao Chai - Ta Van - Ban Ho
- Sapa Biking Tour - Ban Ho Village
- Sapa Biking Tour - Binh Lu - Lai Chau
- SaPa - Bac Ha Market with biking
- Pedalling The Remote Sapa\'s Northwest
Sapa Luxury Holidays
Traditional Minority Discovery Packages
- Green Sapa bus (Hanoi – Sapa)
- Eco Sapa Limousine Van (Hanoi – Sapa)
- Private car Hanoi Sapa
- Hanoi Sapa Private Cabin bus
- Coc Ly market with boat trip
- Cao Son market -boat trip on Chay river- Sapa Tours
Sapa Classic Trips
Northern Mountain Discovery Packages
Topas Ecolodge Sapa tours
- Topas Ecolodge and Market Package 3D/4N
- Topas Ecolodge and Market Package-2D/3N
- Topas Ecolodge and Victoria Sapa Package – 4D/5N
- Topas Ecolodge and Victoria Sapa Package – 3D/4N
- Topas Ecolodge Package – 3D/4N
- Topas Ecolodge Package 2D/3N
Top hotels in Sapa
Vietnam Top Hotel
